Combination dredging, drilling, and pile-driving equipment



April 1939- J. o. GRENIER COMBINATION DREDGINGVDRILLING, AND FILE-DRIVING EQUIPMENT Filed July 29, 1937 '6 Sheets-Sheet l MNQ u Wu NH .i.| 1 wamm fla e oi 0. 5 renter April 114, -v J. o. GRENIER 2,153,557

COMBINATION DREDGING, DRILLING, AND PILE-DRIVING EQUIPMENT Filed July 29 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jose 5 0, Gran-den" uixawM April 11, 1939- J. o. GRENIER COMBINATION DREDGING, DRILLING, 'AND FILE-DRIVING EQUIPMENT Filed July 29, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jose k 0- ran-Le? April 11, 1939- J. o. GRENIER 557 COMBINATION DREDGING, DRILLING, AND FILE-DRIVING EQUIPMENT Filed July 29, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 m JBeepla '6- raw-(Lev April 11, 1939.

J. O. GRENIER COMBINATION DREDGING DRILLING. AND FILE-DRIVING EQUIPMENT Filed July 29, 1937 IZ K 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 rjTase zr/i 0 Granular w m Mu.

April 11, J Q R R 2,153,557

COMBINATION DREDGING. DRILLING. AND FILE-DRIVING EQUIPMENT Filed July 29, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 F F L pa F 8 33 3 [L (fl A J J J J 8 Jose A 0. Gwen-(Jar Ma. (OM/221' -04 Patented Apr. 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Joseph 0. Grenier, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Application July 29, 1937, Serial No. 156,394

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in equipment for carrying out sub-aquatic work such as digging, dredging, blasting, pile-driving and setting operations by use of a unitary machine adapted for carrying out such a variety of operations either afloat or ashore.

My invention, in one form, is an improvement on the direct line method of lifting and disposing of material in so far as it takes up smaller working space and can be worked in a pocket or small clearance, removing all the material required without the possibility of losing any of it in the operation.

It is also an improvement on the usual type of ladder bucket dredge which operates the bucket at an angle and thereby only partially fills the bucket and so disturbs the material that much is washed away that cannot be recovered.

It is also an improvement on the sand pump dredger because it recovers everything required down to bed-rock, a characteristic not obtainable in a sand pump due to the higher specific gravity of certain metals which will wash away rather than be raised by the Water and silt.

My invention is also an improvement on the dipper arm type, as this form of dredger is lim ited by the length of arm employed. This form of dredge also cannot be successfully employed in swift-flowing waters, for which my invention is particularly adaptable.

My invention has been designed so as to provide extreme portability as it can be assembled and dismantled at any point and. transported to any other location for reassembly.

My invention is particularly convenient to use as marine equipment when mounted on floats or pontoons, as the equipment may be readily held in position by the mooring lines of the pontoons or floats and no further anchorage or haulbacks are required, such as are necessary in drag-line operations.

Nothing more is required for my invention than a single mooring line as the leads and spud, when lowered, will hold the pontoon or float in any position during operations.

My invention has for one of its principal objects the providing of an eflicient dredging machine capable of carrying out operations in a new and original manner.

Another particular object of my invention is to provide equipment capable of carrying out sub-aquatic digging operations such as may be required when sinking and setting caissons and such like work.

Another important object of my invention has been to provide equipment capable of carrying out sub-aquatic drilling operations in addition to being capable of digging and dredging operations.

Still another particular object of my invention has been to provide equipment capable of carrying out pile-driving and pile-setting operations in addition to being capable of efiecting other important operations.

A further object of my invention has been to provide equipment capable of carrying out subaquatic blasting operations for the removal of under-water obstructions.

Still further objects of my invention have been to provide mobile equipment capable of being mounted upon pontoons, wharves, jetties, floats or rafts, and suitable for carrying out every variety of sub-aquatic operations that may be called for, by the mere interchange of auxiliary equipment.

With these and other objects in view, I have devised and invented the equipment which comprises the subject matter of this application and which is more fully described in detail in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings formingpart of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of equipment and diagrammatically illustrates the position of the superstructure and framework with braces and shows position of guides and leads therein, also position of the various power drums mounted on deck, also the position of rear spud and framework.

Figure 2 is a general elevational view of equipment and shows position of gudes, leads and operating cables mounted therein, also illustrates the rear spud member and operating cables thereto, also shows front anchor member lowered and cables woven therein and attached to drag member. Illustration purely diagrammatic.

Figure 3 is a general elevational view of equipment showing leads and bucket lowered, and i1- lustrates dredging bucket in reversed position and at the commencement of the digging stroke, and shows rear spud lowered to hold equipment in position.

Figure 4 is another side elevation of equipment showing how leads may be angularly inclined in the pivoted guide members by the various cables to enable operations to be efiected.

Figure 5 is a front end elevation of equipment mounted upon a floating foundation such as pontoons or the like, and illustrates the guides and braces thereto and the leads mounted in the guides partially lowered below the foundation line of the equipment.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of hammer-head and dredging bucket pivoted thereto and shows portion of operating cable of the dredging bucket attached thereto.

Figure 7 is an elevational view of one of the guide blocks for mounting in the leads when drilling or piledrivihg operations are to be effected.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of one of the guide members, showing how same is mounted in leads and shows central aperture which may be adapt ed for holding piles, drill rods or casings, and iliustrates in cross section a view of the leads mounted in the guide members.

In these drawings like numerals indicate like parts and the numeral I indicates a floating structure upon which is mounted a superstructure 2 in the framework of which is incorporated a pair of guides 3 pivotally mounted at 4.

Within the ui es at i mou t d a pa of leads 5 which are slidable and adjustable therein by the cables 6 and QX. The guides 3 are built upon opposite sides of a longitudinal opening 1 formed in the front and center of the floating structure I which terminates in a tunnel through the afterp' of the tru u e fi st o p ov de a ta e location for the guides 3 and leads 5 to operate in, and secondly to facilitate the maneuvering of the floating structure i in carrying out operations.

The superstructure 2 and framework have, preferably, for their foundation members long s in s r Skids 8v h s ab e s de b ac me bers 9, illustrated in Figure 1, so that, if the p en is e ire t w rk u on a Wharf or jetty, it can be removed from its floating foundation and be mounted to work off a stationary one.

The superstructure 2 and framework are'preferably constructed in units or sections, there being two main side sections of framework secured together with suitable cross braces ID at the top and rear of the guides 3.

The foundation stringers of the superstructure 2 are mounted adjacently and parallel with the sides of the longitudinal'opening I of the floating structure I and are secured in any suitable manner to the deck thereof.

The slidable leads 5 are built up to length to make them suitable for. the work in hand and may be of any length desired and are intended and adapted for lowering below the foundation line of the superstructure 2 and being forced into the underwater surface to relieve the floating structure I of strain during the timethat operations of a sub-aquatic nature are being effected.

The leads 5 mounted in the guides 3 are adjustable therein by a new and novel arrangement of the cables- 6 and 6X. Mounted upon the fore and aft sides of the leads 5,and adjacent the top and bottom thereof, are the sheaves II, IIA, B and HG. Built into the sides of the leads proper, and adjacent the top and bottom, are'the sheaves I2, I2A and IZB.

Mounted on the deck or floor of the equipment a little aft of the guides 3 are a number of loose guide sheaves 50 over which all of the cables from the head of the leads are led to the various winding drums 26 on deck.

The manipulation of the leads 5 is entirely controlled by the cables 6 and 6X for, effecting the raising and lowering of the leads or maintaining them in a vertical or angular position.

9 end of the c es 6 is se ure at the; cornew 8. f the. framework and. pass s upwards around the sheaves II downwards to the sheaves 29 thence upwards around the sheaves l2 mounted in each side of the leads 5 thence downwards to the sheaves and upwards to the sheaves IIA mounted at the top and upon the rear side of the leads 5 thence downwards 'to the guide sheaves 55 from which the cables are led to one of the Winding drums 25.

One end of the cables 6X is also attached to the corners 28 of the framework and passes downwards to the sheaves I IC thence upwards and around the sheaves 3| thence downwards and under the sheaves I2A mounted in each side of the leads 5 adjacent the bottom thereof, thence upwards and over the sheaves 32 thence downwards and'around the sheaves I IB, then upwards and over the guide sheaves 50 to be led to the Win n dr ms 6- From the above'description of the weaving of the cables 6 and SK, and the positioning of the various dead ends and the sheaves, it will be apparent that the leads 5 may be lowered, raised or inclined by the manipulation of the various power drums 25 upon some of which the cables 6' and 6X are wound.

Also it will be apparent that the cables 5 and iiX act as fore and aft stays to the leads 5 when in the raised position. Also it is quite apparent that the leads 5 may be lowered and forced with enormous pressure upon the bottom over which the equipment is working by slackening off of the cables 52; and tightening up of the cables 6.

The sheave I2B, mounted higher up and above the sheave I 2A in the sides of the leads 5, is merely an extra one to permit of the leads 5 being lowered more deeply into an excavation when the cables 6X are woven therethrough, than is possible when the cables are woven through the bottom sheave IZA.

Mounted in the center and at the top of the leads 5 are the two sheaves I3 and ILiC, over which run the cables I 4 and MD. To one end of the cable MD is attached the drop hammerhead I 5 having a lug I6 formed a each of the lower corners thereof.

The hammer-head is mounted in the slicleway of the leads 5 and is adapted for driving piles or drill rods or performing other duties as the work demands.

In the center of the front face of the hammerhead and at the top thereof is mounted a sheave wheel I5, the purpose of which will be detailed a little later. The sheave wheel I9 is covered by a pivoted hood 2D for the purpose of protecting the bearings and wheel I9.

Adapted for connection to the lugs I6 of the drop hammer I5 is a dredging bucket l1 having lugs formed at the bottom thereof registering with the lugs I6 of the hammer-head to which they are pivotally connected by the pivot rod I8.

The bucket I! is preferably of tapering cross section and has sharply tapered sides 2! forming the top or mouth of the bucket, to the lower edge of which are mounted the cutting teeth 22,

Adjacent the top of thebucket is mounted a pivoted bail 23 to the center of which is secured the pivoted sheave block 24 by the pin 25.

One end of the cable I4 is attached to the pin 25 and is passed around the sheave wheel I9 at the top of the hammer-head I5, thence through the sheave block 24 attached upon the bail 23 of the bucket, after which it passes upwards and over the sheave I3 mounted at the top of the leads 5, thence down under one of the guide sheaves 50 to one of the power drums 26 on the deck or floor of the equipment.

The power drums 26 are suitably housed in a power house built on deck aft of the mounting of the guide sheaves 50 and the operation and manipulation of all of the power cables of the equipment are centered in the power drums 26.

The cable I4 is the operative cable only of the bucket I! to cause the latter to function and is not the lifting cable as that function is carried out by the cable I4D, one end of which is at tached to the eye bolt 21 of the drop hammerhead I5, and the opposite end, after passing over the sheave I3C mounted in the head or top of the leads 5, is mounted upon one of the power drums 26.

When dredging or excavating operations are to be carried out, the cable I4 is slacked completely off to permit the bucket IT to descend in an upside down or reversed position, as illustrated in Figure 3.

After the bucket I! is in reversed position, the cable MD is then slacked off and the hammerhead l5 and bucket I! are lowered together.

A powerful, penetrating effect is exerted by the teeth 22 and lip of the bucket, when on the bot. tom, to cause it to dig by reason of the combined weight .of the-bucket I! and the hammer-head I5.

As the hammer-head I5 is lowered in the leads 5, the weight of the hammer forces downwardly the bottom or inner end of the bucket and causes the teeth 22 and lip of the bucket to travel outwardly in the form of an arc while digging.

After the hammer-head l5 has reached the bottom of the leads, the cable i4 is then tightened and causes the cutting edge of the bucket I! to describe an upward are as the bucket is brought to a vertical position full of debris, after which the bucket is hoisted by winding up of the cables l4 and MD.

When pile-driving operations are to be effected, the bucket I1 is removed completely off the hammer-head l5 and suitable guide blocks 33 are mounted in the leads 5 whereby piles may be held and guided therein during driving operations.

Some of the guide blocks 33 may be arranged to hold drill rods for drilling operations or may be arranged to hold casings while drilling operations can be carried on within the casings.

It is quite possible, with the equipment I have invented, to effect operations impossible with ordinary equipment, as, for instance, it is quite possible to perform underwater pile-driving operations with exactitude of positioning of the piles, as, by. reason of being able to raise the leads, it is quite possible to position a pile in the guide blocks 33 mounted in the leads, then lower the leads and pile together to the bottom and, if the head of the pile is submerged, it is quite possible to put in an extension drive member suitably mounted in guide blocks above the head of the pile, and drive the pile by dropping the hammerhead I5 upon the extension drive member.

Adjacent the bottom of the leads 5 and below the sheave HC are mounted, upon the front of the leads, eye plates 34 adapted for mounting therein the shank end of an anchor member 35, the outer end of which is connected to a cable 36 running to hand winches 31 mounted on deck and upon each side of the longitudinal opening 1. The hand winches 31 are used for lifting and raising the outer ends of the anchor member 35.

Suitably mounted upon the outer end of the anchor shank are sheave wheels 38 adapted for weaving over the end of a drag cable 39, one end of which is attached to the rear of a drag 40, the forward end of which is attached to another cable 4| which is woven over a sheave 42 mounted adjacent the end of a spud member 43 carried in a suitable framework 44 built at the rear end of the deck or floor of the equipment.

Both inner ends of the cables 39 and 4| are led upwards to the deck and over suitable guide sheaves to the power drums 26, by manipulation of which the drag member 40 is caused to function to effect dragging operations and remove boulders from. the vicinity of the dredging bucket H.

The spud member 43 is manipulated and controlled by a cable 45, one end of which is secured at 46 on deck and then is led upwardly to pass over a sheave 4,1 thence downwardly and around the sheave 48 from which it passes upwardly and over sheave 49 and thence downwardly to the deck and one of the. power drums 26.

To the top of the spud member 43 is attached another cable 52 which is led downwardly and around a suitable guide sheave to one of the power drums 26. The cable 52 is for the purpose of forcing the spud member downwardly into the underwater bottom and to load weight of the equipment upon the spud to cause it to hold.

One of the principal characteristics of my invention is the ability to dig and excavate to great depths by reason of being able to lower the leads to any depth desired, which depth is only limited by the length of the leads themselves, which latter may be built to meet any conditions encountered.

Extra sheaves, after the manner of l2, |2A and HE, may be built into the sides of the leads 5 above the sheave I213 and below the sheave [2, if desired, to provide for an increased range of manipulation of the leads 5.

No attempt in this specification has been made to describe detailedly the whole range of operations that may be effected by the above described equipment and accessories that may be used, but sufficient pertinent details have been given to show that my invention has a very large range of operations and that some of these operations can not be performed by ordinary dredging equipment.

Having now described my invention and the general nature of same, what I claim and desire to be protected in, by Letters Patent, is:

1. In apparatus of the character described, power means, a superstructure having sheaves, cables and pivotally mounted guides therein adapted to be placed in vertical or angular positions by manipulation of said cables, leads adjustably and slidably mounted in said guides and being co-operatively engaged by said cables whereby said leads may be lowered in a vertical or angular position below the fundation line of said superstructure to act as spuds, a hammer-head reciprocatably mounted in said leads, a dredging bucket pivotally connected to said hammer-head and adapted for digging and dredging purposes, cables connected to said hammer-head and dredging bucket and co-operatively connected to said power means whereby on manipulation of said cables and power means the said hammerhead and dredging bucket are energized to effect digging and dredging operations.

2. In apparatus of the character described, power means, a superstructure having sheaves, cables and pivotally mounted guides therein adapted to be placed in vertical or angular positions by manipulation of said cables, leads adjustably and slidably mounted in said guides being ,coroperatively engaged by said cables whereby said leads may be lowered in a vertical or angular position below the foundation line of said superstructure to act as spuds, a hammerhead reciprocatably mounted in said leads, a dredging bucket pivotally connected to said hammer-head in such manner that after filling said bucket may be brought to a vertical position by cables connected thereto and be hoistedby cables connected to said hammer-head and co-operatively engaged by said power means whereby on manipulation of said cables and power means the said hammer-head and dredging bucket may be energized to effect digging and dredging operations and said bucket may be hoisted in a vertical position while retaining all the contents of digging within said bucket up to the point of dumping, and means to dump said bucket.

3. A dredging equipment, comprising, power means and a superstructure adapted for installation upon a floating equipment, guide members pivotally mounted in said superstructure, slidable leads mounted in said guide members and having means for vertical or angular adjustment within the pivoted guide members whereby said leads may be lowered vertically or angularly below the foundation line of said superstructure, a slidable head member mounted in said leads and having means for reciprocation therein, means for pivotally connecting a dredging bucket to said head member and means connected to said bucket and power means to cause said bucket to pivot upon said slidable head member and scoop up gravel and efiect dredging operations when said slidable head member and pivoted dredging bucket are lowered in said leads to a river bed.

4. A dredging equipment, comprising, power means and a superstructure adapted for installation upon a floating equipment, guide members pivotally mounted in said superstructure, leads mounted in said pivotal guide members, sheave blocks built into the sides of said leads, two pairs of blocks being adjacent the bottom and one pair adjacent the top, sheave blocks mounted upon said superstructure and having cables secured and woven therethrough and through said sheave blocks which are built into the sides of said leads whereby the latter become slidable and adjustable in 'said pivoted guide members and may be lowered below the foundation line of said superstructure by manipulation of the power means of said dredging equipment to which one end of said cables is attached, a slidable head member mounted in said leads and having a dredging bucket pivotally mounted thereto and being connected by cables to said power means whereby dredging operations may be effected by manipulation of said cables and power means.

5. A dredging equipment, comprising, power means and a superstructure adapted for installation upon a floating equipment, pivotally mounted guide members in said superstructure, leads mounted slidably in said guide members and having means for vertical or angular adjustment, a slidable head member mounted in said leads and being reciprocatably mounted therein, cables from said power means for operating said head member, means for pivotally mounting a dredging bucket on said slidable head member, said dredging bucket having cables attached to it and to said power means and adapted for lowering in a reversed position whereby the digging edge of said bucket is brought into contact with the gravels of a river bead and is caused to describe an arc and scoop up said gravels to effect dredging operations when said cables and power means are operated to a degree suflicient to bring said bucket to an upright position upon its pivotal mounting and be hoisted in said leads.

6. A dredging equipment, comprising, power means and a superstructure adapted for installation upon a floating equipment, said superstructure supporting a pair of pivotally mounted guides having means for slidably and adjustably mounting therein a pair of leads, said leads adapted for lowering below the foundation line of said superstructure, a slidable head member mounted in said leads, bearings formed at the lower corners of said head member, a head sheave block mounted at the top of said slidable head member, a dredging bucket having one end pivotally mounted in said bearings, a pivoted bail member mounted on said bucket, a bail sheave block mounted on said bail, a cable attached to said ball and woven through said head sheave block and bail sheave block and over a sheave block mounted at the top end of said slidable leads and down to said power means whereby suitable manipulation of said power means the said dredging bucket may be caused to operate and effect dredging operations.

'7. In apparatus of the character described, a barge, a spud device mounted on one end of the barge, means to operate said spud device, a superstructure mounted on the other end of the barge, a pair of guides pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis on said superstructure, said guides having slideways, a pair of leads having slides to cooperate with said pivoted guides, means uniting said leads to slide along said guides as a unit, means for operating said leads to serve as a front spud for the barge, a drop-head slidably mounted between and on said leads, means to slidably operate said drop-head, a dredging bucket pivotally mounted at its closed end on said drop-head to project with its open end downwardly from said drop-head to be forced into a river bed upon dropping said drop-head and means to swing the bucket on its pivot to an upright position and hold it so while elevating the load.

8. In apparatus of the character described, a barge, a spud device mounted on one end of the barge, means to operate said spud device, a superstructure mounted on the other end of the barge, a pair of guides pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis on said superstructure, said guides having slideways, a pair of leads having slides to cooperate with said pivoted guides, means uniting said leads to slide along said guides as a unit, means for operating said leads to serve as a front spud for the barge, a drop-head slidably mounted between and on said leads, means to slidably operate said drop-head, a dredging bucket pivotally mounted at its closed end on said drop-head to project with its open end downwardly from said drop-head to be forced into a river bed upon dropping said drop-head and means to swing the bucket on its pivot to an upright position and hold it so while elevating the load, said bucket having cutting teeth, said bucket swinging means including a sheave on said drop-head, a bail on the bucket, a bail sheave on the bail and a cable secured to the bail and passed through said sheaves.

JOSEPH O. GRENIER. 

